My trip to Chester Zoo

As children, we all find zoos extremely appealing and similar to Wonderlands. Magical places filled with creatures we wouldn’t be able to see otherwise are ready to take you on a ride for a price. Dozens of acres of pure joy, full of animals, birds, and new experiences at every corner are waiting for you.

I was always fascinated by zoos but as I grew up I found it more and more troubling that animals were kept away from their natural homes. And, no matter how much space they had, they would still be trapped and exposed to countless people bothering them daily.

Luckily, not all zoos are the same; some of them actually care more about the animals than we could in their natural habitats and I consider it is important to praise these kinds of institutions that manage to help animals integrate into a welcoming environment. Recently, I had a visit to the Chester Zoo and I am looking forward to telling you all about it.

Why the Chester Zoo?

There are thousands of zoos in the entire world, some bigger than the others, and some displaying a wide array of wild and endangered species of birds, insects, and animals. However, the Chester Zoo is slightly different as it is a charitable zoo.

Located in Cheshire, England, the zoo first opened its gates in 1931, and it has since become one of the largest zoos in the UK and Europe. The zoo is operated by a charitable foundation that doesn’t receive any government funding, but mainly donations.

In the past few years, it was consistently voted as one of the best zoos in the world, ranking a cool number three on 2017’s best zoos in the world list according to Tripadvisor.

What I found during my trip to the Chester Zoo is absolutely unimaginable and I can hardly describe it in words. There are over 500 species of animals and over 21000 different animals present in the zoo, out of which more than 155 were classified as endangered and threatened species.

What is different?

The Chester Zoo is by far the biggest attraction in the county and you can easily get there with a cab or with a special bus. The tickets cost around 14 pounds (20 dollars) for adults and around 11 pounds for children. However, I strongly suggest you check the prices online prior to your trip to see the exact prices.

Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on the season or the month you are visiting. Infants have a free entrance and students, elders, and families might get discounts.

In 2015 the zoo opened the Islands at Chester Zoo, each of them trying to replicate the natural environments of some endangered species such as the jaguar, the red ape or the Asian elephant.